Cheese tea is iced tea topped with a foam made out of cream cheese or other dairy products.

The beverage isn’t new. Caceres said it’s been popular in China and Taiwan for years and available in a few other tea shops in Southern California. But it is a little outside of some people’s comfort zone.

Panda Express calls its version Cheesecake Cream Tea to make it easy on customers. It’s made with cream cheese, half-and-half, sugar and a little salt. Most people stir the topping into the tea, although many taste it first.

The Panda Express recipe is slightly different from other shops, she said.

“I think the main difference between shops is some will be a little more savory. Some will add a little more salt. For ours, it’s slightly sweet. It’s a little more velvety, too. It’s more of a cream versus a foam.”

Panda Express develops its recipes at its headquarters in Rosemead but introduces them to the public at the Innovation Kitchen, which opened in 2014. New creations stay on the menu for six to eight weeks. One of the current offerings is a seasoned pork belly dish.

It serves familiar entrees such as Orange Chicken and Honey Walnut Shrimp, but in different ways, including salads and wraps. And it offers a wider selection of sides that includes Quinoa Brown Fried Rice; glazed carrots and Brussels sprouts; and kale, cabbage and broccoli stir-fry.

From the outside, the Innovation Kitchen looks the same as most of Panda Express’s 1,900 restaurants. But inside it has its own character with wood textures, electric candles, big screen TVs, long communal tables and armchairs.

The Innovation Kitchen houses a tea bar concept, called Panda + Tea, which has spread to 35 locations in Southern California, including a second one in Pasadena on Lake Avenue that also serves Cheesecake Cream Tea.

Panda + Tea’s menu includes made-to-order milk teas, smoothies, lemonades and a concoction called sparkling yogurt, which is a mix of drinkable yogurt, carbonated water and fruit flavors. Prices are $3.20-$4.25.

Fielding Buck has been a business reporter since 2014 with a focus on logistics, supply chain and GIS. Prior experience includes extensive entertainment reporting. He loves photography and dogs and lives in San Bernardino County.